I wanna go home

When Waist High came to town recently I drove WAY out of my way to pick her up because I was afraid she would do something crazy if I didn’t comply with her demands. She wanted to go by our old high school, but for some reason that never happened. Instead she commanded that I show her the home that I grew up in and once again I conceded.

As we approached my former home I pointed out to her the house from which the spider monkey who attacked me formerly resided.



From there we drove up the street and turned left onto the cul-de-sac where I lived for twenty years. It was weird to see my old home again. The window on the right is the window to the bedroom I lived in for most of my life. The window on the left was "the office." I broke my toe on that brick planter once. (Hey - why no flowers in the planter and what's with the rock?")



When I lived there it was painted green and there were three trees planted in the front yard. Many things had changed, but one thing had not. I was surprised to see the little, metal, address sign still attached to the mailbox.



While we were running around snapping pictures, I suddenly noticed a small, red headed woman washing her car in front of my former neighbor’s house. “Cee” I shouted! She then turned, looked at me, and said “Oh my god!” As we hugged and chatted, Cee’s mother came out. The very same woman who used to feed me when I would wander over bare footed and disheveled asking for something to eat. Begrudgingly I introduced them to Waist High who was standing near by tapping her foot and clearing her throat. As we were talking I noticed a new sign posted on their home.



I couldn’t stay long because Waist High was giving me the evil eye but I had a marvelous time seeing my old neighbors and the house that I grew up in. As we were leaving, Gloria yelled out to me something I heard from her over and over again in my youth; “You haven’t gained a pound! You're too skinny!”



It may not look like it, but I have gained weight since I lived on Rickey Way. Luckily most of it has been in my heart.

Photos courtesy of: The Waist High Collection - except the first one. I took that.